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Betrayed Again
Just when I started to believe that the Republicans in Congress might actually be ready to act boldly, they have betrayed us again. It’s difficult for me to determine whether I am angrier with the Democrats for proposing this deceitful bill, the Respect for Marriage Act, or with the Republicans for lining up behind them. This Act further damages and weakens our religious liberties, in particular our support of traditional marriage, and it reminds us that the Progressive Left will never stop infringing on our rights and freedoms.
So what’s the big deal? A dozen Republicans have decided that they want to cozy up to the Democrats, or are too lazy or foolish to study the real intentions of the bill, or simply don’t care:
The 12 Republicans who voted yes on Wednesday were Susan Collins of Maine, Rob Portman of Ohio, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mitt Romney of Utah, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Todd Young of Indiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
For anyone who wants to read the bill, go here.
What are the real dangers built into the bill? Mike Lee and several of his Senate colleagues wrote to their peers about the potential dangers and solutions in the legislation:
Instead of subjecting churches, religious non-profits, and persons of conscience to undue scrutiny or punishment by the federal government because of their views on marriage, we should make explicitly clear that this legislation does not constitute a national policy endorsing a particular view of marriage that threatens the tax exempt status of faith-based non-profits. As we move forward, let us be sure to keep churches, religious charities, and religious universities out of litigation in the first instance. No American should face legal harassment or retaliation from the federal government for holding sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. My amendment would ensure that federal bureaucrats do not take discriminatory actions against individuals, organizations, nonprofits, and other entities based on their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions about marriage by prohibiting the denial or revocation of tax exempt status, licenses, contracts, benefits, etc. It would affirm that individuals still have the right to act according to their faith and deepest convictions even outside of their church or home.
Although several supporters of the bill admitted it had problems, Mike Lee’s amendment wasn’t supported. In fact, no amendments were considered, although several were submitted.
Other possible attacks on religious institutions may be on the horizon:
H.R. 8404 abandons all current limits in federal law requiring marriage to be the union of only two persons. Under H.R. 8404 all it takes is a single state to recognize a polygamous or other unusual union as a marriage and the federal government must automatically recognize it for all federal purposes, including tax deductions, welfare benefits, immigration status, and federal employee benefits.
And as outrageous as polygamous marriages may seem, they also have the potential for being legalized:
There are upwards of 60,000 people practicing polygamy without legal recognition in the United States today. Public support for polygamy has more than tripled since 2010 to nearly one in four people today. In 2020, Utah reduced the criminal penalties for living in polygamous relationships to infraction status. Organizations such as the Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition, with support from Harvard Law School, are pushing for legalization of polyamorous unions. Two cities in Massachusetts, Somerville and Cambridge (home to Harvard University) have recently granted official Domestic Partnership status to plural unions. Nothing in Obergefell prohibits any state legislature in the country from following Cambridge’s lead, nor does it prevent a state Supreme Court from imposing polyamory or polygamy by interpretation of its state constitution.
And one other outcome that will make individuals and organizations vulnerable:
Anyone merely alleging a harm would be able to sue under H.R. 8404. Activists will argue that faith-based foster care providers, state-funded religious social service organizations. and religious organizations and businesses that provide services under contract with the government are acting “under color of State law” to, at the very least, impose costs on and harass institutions that seek to live their beliefs about man-woman marriage without having to withdraw from civic or public life.
* * * *
Some people will see these concerns as overreactions or extremes. Ten years ago, we wouldn’t have believed there would be social support for gender mutilation surgery, CRT, taking away control from parents for their children’s education, border invasions or censorship by the media. I think the House Freedom Caucus sees the future clearly:
‘This vote is about more than culture. It is about affirming the self-evident truth that marriage is a natural institution that predates government,’ the letter reads. ‘Republicans must stand united in defense of that truth and the institution of marriage which forms the backbone of a healthy society. There can be no compromise on this question.’
Unfortunately, I doubt that the Republicans are listening.
Published in Politics
I was pretty amazed when he showed up. First time ever. I hope he comes again.
By the way, Charlotte, I loved your description! I couldn’t have done it better! Maybe it’s his British accent.
See, and here is where the Oxford comma is important. Is he pretty, smart, and funny, or is he pretty smart, and funny?
Not the first time. He commented on my post about “What does Charles CW Cooke believe?”
That was actually the first time he commented on any member post. It was the third time he commented on anything, but the first was a “founder’s” post and the second was one of his own.
Which goes back to the question that I asked earlier…and how this amendment (even though it was not adopted) could be struck down because it ignores legitimate and popular religions that recognize polygamy. It’s hard to make an argument that we want to defend religious freedom when the language specifically blocks religious systems that allow for polygamy. It is picking one religion as “right” and another as “wrong”.
Isn’t the “Oxford comma” only the last one? A comma between “pretty” and “smart” is not an Oxford comma, only the one after “smart.”
“Pretty, smart, and funny.” – Oxford comma.
“Pretty smart, and funny.” – Oxford comma.
“Pretty, smart and funny.” – no Oxford comma.
There. Fixed it for you.
Not sure about that sentence diagramming–is that line for adverbs or adjectives?
Modifiers. Adjective or adverb depends on what it is modifying. You also don’t need a comma in a compound predicate.
Both. ;-)
I did not write this (see diagram). If I were talking about his good looks, I would have used “handsome.”
Also, it is understandable when people don’t get the southern creation of the all-purpose “pretty.” Normal= Look at that pretty tree. All-purpose use= How are you feeling? Pretty good.
It all depends on what they mean. If they mean he is pretty, he is smart, and he is funny then the Oxford Comma would be pretty, smart, and funny. If they mean pretty smart, and funny it’s not technically an Oxford Comma (a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before ‘and’ or ‘or’), but the new style of not using a comma to denote the two modifiers to Mr. Cooke and thus writing it pretty smart and funny is not clear on Mr. Cooke’s sartorial taste and/or aesthetics.
He’s all three.
Why didn’t you say so in the first place?
See what you started?!
No. But what should I have stated? He are all three?
I was presaging kedavis’ interpretation:
I can’t help but notice that Charlie has (wisely) declined to participate in the latter portion of the conversation.
What with all that thunking going on.
Sometimes it’s just a relief not to thunk. If you know what I mean.
Apologies to @susanquinn. Shall try to confine future fangirling to my own posts. :-)
*Thunk!*
I’m all three.
Sometimes movie night means Hey I’m tryin ta watch a movie here!
No, don’t! It was fun!